On the afternoon of May 11, "Applying to Cambridge: Admission Event for 2023 Undergraduate Study" was successfully held. The orientation was jointly organized by the Cambridge Admissions Office, CUNJC and Nanjing Overseas Collaborative Innovation Center(Cambridge, the UK). On this occasion, a speech was delivered to young students by Daping Chu, Tenured Professor at the University of Cambridge and Academic Director & CEO of CUNJC, and a detailed online introduction to Cambridge and its undergraduate application process was given by Olivia Matthewson, Regional Manager (East Asia) of the Cambridge Admissions Office. A number of Cambridge alumni and students who major in engineering, mathematics, economics, natural sciences, humanities and social sciences shared their life experiences and helped high school students to prepare for the application of their target disciplines.

The admissions orientation attracted nearly 200 high school students and teachers. About 50 local students and teachers from Nanjing Foreign Language School, High School Affiliated to Nanjing Normal University, Jinling High School, Nanjing International School, Yuhuatai High School, and Nanjing Thomas School attended this event on the premise of meeting the current Covid control requirements, whilst over 100 students and teachers attended the event online.

Professor Chu expressed his gratitude to the guests and participants of the event. "For centuries, the mission of the University is to contribute to society through the pursuit of education, learning and research at the highest international levels of excellence, which is the foundation of the University's prosperity", he said. Receiving an education at Cambridge means access to world-class education and research resources and the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the ethos of the University and the society in which one lives. As a result, the student can dedicate himself to the mission of addressing the global challenges facing humanity, including food security, climate change, urbanization, and the Covid-19 pandemic.

"It is impossible to solve the global challenges by any single institution or country. Thus, international cooperation is particularly essential," said Professor Chu. "China plays an irreplaceable part in it. As the first overseas research centre established by the University, CUNJC is a great testimony to the University's cordiality for collaborative innovation."

As the official admissions officer of the University, Ms Matthewson shared a detailed overview of undergraduate study at the University from its unique collegiate system, rich educational and supporting resources, colourful student experiences and comfortable accommodation. She introduced the required documents and specific process of application to the University. In particular, she emphasized that Cambridge focuses on a comprehensive examination of a candidate's academic ability and potential. The University will look at the student's knowledge and enthusiasm for the chosen major, understanding of the requirements of that major, Intellectual interest and initiative, and the fact that if the subject course is good fit for the applicant, his/her ocational commitment, etc., rather than articular background or school type, or irrelevant extracurricular activities.

Undoubtedly, the personal experiences of Cambridge alumni and students are the most effective guide. In the alumni sharing session, Rex Wang of Gonville & Caius College (Class of 2012) majoring in HSPS, Frank Han of Homerton College (Class of 2014) majoring in Mathematics, and two postgraduates, Yuanbo Deng of Queen's College (Class of 2012) majoring in Engineering and Daoming Dong of Darwin College (Class of 2017), each shared his experience of studying in Cambridge. Teddy Shi of St Edmund's College (Class of 2010) majoring in Economics, Lavonda Li, an undergraduate (Class of 2019) of Magdalene College, and Shawn Shen, Class of 2016 and a current PhD student in Trinity College, answered questions from high school students online.

The event culminated in the Q&A session when alumni answered questions regarding application essentials, how to choose your concentration, grade requirements, overseas life and other issues of concern to students and their parents. "By attending the undergraduate admissions orientation held at the Centre, I gained an in-depth understanding of the application process, college structure, curriculum, and other aspects of the University of Cambridge and the opportunity to communicate directly with some of its alumni. The valuable information will help me navigate my application this fall," said Yiran Dai, a second-year student from Nanjing Foreign Language School.

At the end of the event, the Centre arranged group interviews for five popular majors: engineering, mathematics, economics, natural science and Human, Social, and Political Sciences, and invited Cambridge alumni and senior students to provide guidance to the high school students.

The innovation lies in people, the quality of people in education, whereas the high-quality education, in turn, is the guarantee for sustainable scientific and technological innovation. By integrating alumni resources, the Centre serves the University of Cambridge and meets the local needs. As the first research institute established by the University of Cambridge outside the UK, CUNJC covers international high-end original research projects, innovation and R&D, the commercialization, international academic exchange and talent training, and will continue to support and assist the University's educational work in the future.